A cheap drug approved to prevent a transplant patient’s body from rejecting the new organ is now being used to reject something else: aging.
Rapamycin, which costs about $2.30 per pill, has recently gained attention among longevity experts and biohackers, who claim it can slow the aging process.
Despite the lack of evidence that it works in humans, that doesn’t stop many people from calling it a “proven anti-aging drug” and doctors at online pharmacies and clinics prescribing it. Examples are increasing.
It is thought to work by blocking the action of proteins that control cell growth and destruction. Next, a process called autophagy occurs. This involves recycling damaged cells to prevent the accumulation of toxins and other harmful substances.
Rapamycin was originally approved to prevent transplant patients from rejecting their new organs. But researchers have also discovered that it regulates how cells grow and reproduce, a hallmark of the aging process.
Longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia has been taking rapamycin since 2019 and said the only downside he experienced was canker sores on the tongue.
Think of this as quality control for cell cleanup workers or cell health. A growing number of researchers claim that it extends lifespan and reduces the risk of developing age-related chronic diseases.
The anti-aging effects of this drug have only been tested in fruit flies, mice, and nematodes.
Still, prominent longevity experts like Peter Attia and Brian Johnson believe its potential to prevent physical decline is so great that it deserves the attention of scientists.
The FDA approved rapamycin in 1999 as an anti-rejection drug for organ transplant recipients.
But in 2009, a game-changing study was published. Nature A study conducted by doctors across the United States found that administering the drug to mice increased the lifespan of females by 14% and males by 9%.
It works by blocking TOR, which initiates cell signaling pathways in the body that control cell growth and aging.
Then, in 2014, pharmacology experts tested the drug on humans and found that it was indeed effective. strengthened the immune systemthe response to the influenza vaccine increased by 20%.
In a survey of 504 adults published last year, 65.5% of the 333 people who took the drug reported doing so. I believed there was It has effective anti-aging properties, and nearly half said their health had improved since starting rapamycin therapy, usually under the guidance of a doctor.
More than 35% said the drugs made their brains “work better,” and 38% said they felt younger.
Dozens of people reported a variety of other benefits, including reduced anxiety, improved relationships, reduced arthritis pain, improved sleep and vision quality, and decreased frequency of hot flashes associated with menopause.
Dr. Peter Attia, a longevity expert and author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, who has been taking rapamycin for at least five years, says, It is only found in some parts of the land.” The ocean acts like a switch that suppresses very specialized cellular mechanisms present in almost all living things.
He added, “This fact still shocks me every time I think about it.”
This molecule is produced by soil bacteria on Extreme Easter Island, located in the South Pacific Ocean, and was initially used for its antifungal properties. It was later found to have immunosuppressive effects, and doctors knew it could potentially benefit transplant patients.
Dr. Atia Said: “If we look at other markers, interesting things like vision and hearing and other markers of healthspan, we continue to see improvements in these areas as well in animals.
“I’m bullish on Lapa simply because I’ve been taking it for three years.”
Renowned eccentric biohacker Brian Johnson uses a combination of rapamycin and the diabetes drug metformin, which he considers to be the “10th best result of all time.”
The drug’s dosing protocols are based primarily on animal studies, but that hasn’t stopped doctors from bringing the drug into the mainstream. Telemedicine company Healthspan has begun selling it in cream form for anti-aging purposes, and the company says it can also promote hair growth.
Daniel Tawfik, who founded Healthspan, said more than 2,000 people have signed up for the company’s rapamycin service. “The potential for extending health spans and quality of life as patients age is enormous,” he said, adding that his company’s experience shows that rapamycin can be safely prescribed. Ta.
Brian Johnson, the world-famous eccentric biohacker, has taken extreme anti-aging measures, including swapping his own blood with that of his second son, and has discovered the benefits, especially when combined with the diabetes drug metformin. It’s advertised.
he Said This combination was “the 10th best performing in history.”
The field is exciting, but scientists caution that more research is needed in other mammals, including humans, before they can be confident that the drug actually has the effects biohackers praise. ing.
Dr. Daofu Dai, assistant professor of rapamycin pathology at the University of Iowa Health Care, said his team’s findings in mice are “exciting” but by no means conclusive.
he said Today’s medical news: “What we need to do in the future is [the] It’s a mammal, yes, it’s a fruit fly. [fruit flies] It’s much easier. Mammals take longer. ”
